Gandhinagar, Jan 14 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the Gandhinagar kite festival on Wednesday, marking the commencement of ‘Patang Utsav 2026’ in the city.

The Chief Minister extended greetings and warm wishes to the people on ‘Uttarayan’, an auspicious period in Hindu calendar symbolising the onset of longer days.

On the joyous and festive occasion of Uttarayan 2026, the Chief Minister also joined the citizens in kite-flying and other festivities.

The Chief Minister tried his hands at kite flying and distributed ‘laddoos and chikki’ to the local residents.

Extending his Uttarayan greetings, CM Bhupendra Patel said that as people fly kites high in the sky during the festival, this should also become a festival of enthusiasm that helps everyone reach new heights of happiness, peace, prosperity, and progress in their lives.

The Chief Minister also took to his social media handle on X to share pictures of ‘Uttarayan’ celebrations, organised by the Sahay Foundation at Central Vista in Gandhinagar.

CM Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the kite festival celebrations by releasing balloons into the sky. The event saw participation of government officers including Gandhinagar Mayor and District Collector, the BJP’s top office-bearers as well as international kite flyers and a large number of local residents.

Earlier, the Gujarat CM’s Office (CMO) also urged the residents, in a social media post, to join the festive celebrations with joy and enthusiasm.

The international kite festival remains a major attraction in Gujarat which sees hundreds of trained and professional kite flyers from India and abroad, converging in Ahmedabad to fly giant and myriad kites.

During this period, the skies get filled with colourful and vibrant kites, of various shapes and sizes, fluttering in the breeze, creating a spectacle at the Sabarmati riverfront. Over the years, the festival has also spread to other cities including Surat, Rajkot and Dholavira where kite-flyers mesmerize the people by filling the skies with their brilliantly coloured jumbo kites.

–IANS

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